Go green

Cheryl

Admittedly, my thoughts today were inspired by a gorgeous, teenage vampire who once said, "The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business."

Like Edward Cullen , I've come to realize that environmental conservation is not just for unbathed hippies who have hunger strike tendencies. Nor is it just a cause that I donate money towards or volunteer for each spring in support of Earth Day , which happens to be today. It's not about the grand gesture.

In fact, something as massive as saving our planet is clearly going to take a little bit of thought (and perhaps sacrifice) each and every day from me and everyone else.

Going green is truly a lifestyle change. But it doesn't have to be difficult! Here are just a few tiny ways I've changed to be more efficient, which I hope are minimizing my footprint:

• Carpool.  Soccer moms were on to something decades ago. Now, I'll find ways to bum rides with my friends (or drive them) to school, work, out for dinner, a big game or a concert. It saves gas, emits less, and we can split parking costs.
• Subscribe to less printed media. I read my fashion magazines and celebrity gossip news at the gym. I set up news feeds  and sign up for other electronic newsletters and clipping services on subjects that interest me (from college hoops to business news to sample sales).
• Set a timer while showering. Not entirely sure why, but I used to take super long showers. Now, I set a timer in the bathroom so I don't slip into an inadvertent daydream or sneak a little more shuteye.
• Print on both sides. Whenever I'm printing papers or presentations, this printer option can cut my paper usage in half. I tend not to double-space, if given the option. If I ever have old hand-outs that do have blank sides, I'll save it for note-taking, list-making, or printing drafts of my next masterpiece.
• Pack containers. Instead of Ziploc  bags, plastic wrap or foil to pack away leftovers, I opt for plastic, metal and glass ware and jars that can be washed and reused several times, if not forever.
• Reuse my goody bags. Over years of attending job fairs, professional conferences, and sample sales, I have enough canvas bags to carry all my groceries home. I even won a raffle at my local grocer for bringing my own bag. Who knew that the most valuable free S.W.A.G. (stuff we all get) was the bag itself!
• Pay paperless-ly. I used to think I needed a physical reminder to pay my bills. But now, with email statements, text message alerts, calendar reminders and all the other ways to stay organized, I got over it. And I can't remember the last time I wrote a check to pay a bill. The beauty of the internet is that I can pay my bills wherever I am — as long as I have a computer — whether I'm at home, at a coffee shop, or in an internet café on a remote Greek island. I personally could care less that postage costs are rising! 

So sure, these are small sacrifices I've made and they can be a tad more inconvenient or time-consuming at times. But the gratification and sense of worth one feels by doing good by far outweigh any negatives. How else could we ever explain the growing list of image-conscious Hollywood A-listers trading in their Roadsters and suped up trucks for teeny, egg-shaped hybrids?

But the best part about being eco-friendly is it also helps me conserve my own dough and not be wasteful with that precious resource. It's seriously a no-brainer.

So, what sort of ways are you going green? Any tips? Please share!